〈Episode 197〉 Know your place. (4)
Know your place. (4)
Looking at the First Elder's face, which bore an expression as if he had taken a shock, I could be certain.
‘As expected.’
The fact that the First Elder was suffering from a chronic illness was something I already knew from my past life.
And that not much was left of his life before he was burned to death by my father.
The reason he was making a move like this as I gradually began to stand out.
In the end, it must be due to impatience.
And.
Conversely, the reason I could bare my fangs at the First Elder so recklessly like this
-
Was thanks to knowing that the First Elder had grown weak.
‘Though he seems a bit less weakened than I expected.’
I could tell from our recent clash.
It seemed he noticed my presence with regret and covered himself with Gang Qi, but
The fact that he couldn't grasp my presence even for a moment, and
How the First Elder reacted to the strike just now.
‘To call him a martial artist who has reached the Hwa Realm...’
Originally, a martial artist who has reached the Hwa Realm casts off their shell and resides in a higher dimension.
Possessing a contradictory presence that is dense yet hazy.
Of course, this is also something only those with exceptionally outstanding senses,
Or those who have reached a similar realm, could perceive.
But having surpassed my own wall along with my past life experiences, I could feel it to some extent.
‘The First Elder's body has become turbid.’
It was certain that the First Elder had reached the Hwa Realm, but
Judging by his current state.
It seemed most of his inner qi was flowing for a different purpose.
If I were to look at the end of that flow,
‘It is preventing his physical body from collapsing.’
The cause was likely the aftermath of his chronic illness.
‘It doesn't show yet, but’
Whether he was regulating it well, maintaining his body whose aging should have slowed upon reaching that realm,
It seemed he was also capable of keeping it from showing on the outside.
Even for me, if I hadn't known the fact that he was suffering from a chronic illness right off the bat, I wouldn't have noticed properly.
At this, the First Elder spoke to me.
"...You just keep spouting nonsense."
It seemed he was going to feign ignorance again like before, but
That had nothing to do with me.
If he could keep feigning ignorance, then so be it.
"You must have been incredibly anxious. For the most fox-like person I know, you sure handled this like dog shit."
"You brat! I showed you respect considering we are of the same bloodline! You grow ever more arrogant. How dare you spout such ugly words to an Elder of the Family!"
The First Elder roared, but that sight was just ridiculous to me.
I didn't even bother to hide the smile leaking out and showed it to the First Elder.
"In the past, I definitely told you."
About the fate of the dog that not only bared its fangs at its master, but attacked him.
"I believe I said it starved to death after all its teeth were pulled out."
This was a warning I had clearly shown.
Telling him not to touch me.
"But why did he try to bite?"
Because my warning was ridiculous? That could be.
Why would he fear the warning of what looks like a young boy?
The one he should fear wasn't me.
It was, of course, my father, the Patriarch.
He should have feared the Second Elder and the few who supported me.
The biggest one would be my aforementioned father, though.
There was no way the First Elder wouldn't know that.
Yet, he ultimately reached out to me.
Did he have the confidence that he wouldn't be caught?
Of course, that might have been part of it.
But from what I could see,
"It seems you were in so much of a rush that you couldn't see what was right in front of you."
It was simply because he was rushed.
"Isn't that right?"
To my words, the First Elder offered silence as his answer.
Knowing somewhat what kind of methods he used and what kind of end he met in the past,
I could understand the First Elder just a tiny bit.
But that was only because I, too, was a vile figure, recognizing it like looking in a mirror.
In the end, he just couldn't handle the overflowing desires in his worn-out body.
"Hah."
The First Elder, who had kept his mouth shut, finally let out a hollow sigh.
"You just keep spouting incomprehensible nonsense."
It was still the same feigned ignorance, but the crack in his broken mask was vivid, whether he knew it or not.
Guuuk-!
The inner qi filling my middle dantian reacts little by little.
At the same time, the heat stored within my body swirled.
Haaah-
The breath clearly leaking out right now wasn't due to the cold.
This was solely due to the heat.
"If you're going to feign ignorance, keep doing so. It doesn't matter anyway."
"Yang-cheon, it seems you are the one misunderstanding something."
The chilling energy felt in the dead of night was clearly the First Elder's Sword Gang.
An aura that took a step further from Sword Qi, becoming slightly more materialized.
Even if his body was ruined, as expected of a martial artist who had reached the Hwa Realm.
The fighting spirit emanating from the First Elder was definitely not at a level to be ignored.
The heavy sensation felt right before an actual clash.
I struggled to ignore the cold sweat running down my spine.
"It seems you don't know that you've just committed an act you can't handle yourself."
"An act I can't handle?"
"I don't know what happened to you, but yes, I can consider it something I did. Since our relationship isn't exactly pleasant."
Even while listening to the First Elder's sophistry, I continuously prepared my stance.
Listening to his words, I raised my qi senses and organized my combat path, but
‘This fox-like old man?’
Even while speaking to me, the First Elder was using his inner qi to erode the surroundings.
So that he could block me no matter where I dug in.
It seemed he planned to divert attention with conversation and set up a formation around us.
"However, there probably isn't any evidence."
The tip of the First Elder's sword trembled faintly.
The sword imbued with inner qi was reacting to it.
The sword cry wasn't ringing out, but
That didn't mean I could let my guard down.
"If your father finds out about such a recklessly committed act in that situation, do you truly think he will let it slide easily?"
"My, are you worried I might get kicked out?"
When I answered with a slight smile, the First Elder laughed as if he expected that.
"You're so arrogant because you're the only son, but if that happens... your position will only be more disadvantageous. You seem to think that seat of yours will be maintained..."
"I don't know what strange thoughts this old man is having."
"What?"
"Why on earth do you think I came without evidence?"
At my words, I could see the First Elder's eyes flinch and tremble.
"Nonsense."
"Does it sound like nonsense?"
"Perhaps because you're backed into a corner, you're just spitting out words. Your mistakes are not few, but if you apologize properly even now, this old man could look favorably upon you within permissible bounds."
The First Elder seemed to dismiss it as ridiculous talk, but funnily enough, evidence for this actually existed.
Strictly speaking, it wasn't evidence of him attacking me.
Exactly, it was the justification to beat the First Elder half to death,
A justification strong enough that no one in the family could say anything to me.
"You're still a foolish old man."
Due to the endlessly swirling heat, my body heated up completely.
Let alone the smoke billowing up.
My body was jumping to move right this instant.
"I don't know if your mind has become petty because of your ruined body, but you shouldn't have been consumed by your greed."
"...You brat...! Just because the Patriarch and the Second Elder look after you, do you think the world is yours?!"
"Look after me, my ass."
Hwarrrrk!
The crimson flames that started from the ring of the Nine Flames Flower Wheel Art engulfed my entire body.
Unlike the time when just igniting the flames made me feel like I would pass out,
Now I could ignite it so effortlessly.
[It's probably because you ate so much of it.]
Old Man Sin added with a chuckle.
But I couldn't deny it.
Even I thought I ate way too much.
Meanwhile, the First Elder's eyes as he looked at the flames surrounding my body were trembling noticeably.
Noticing what his pupils harbored between the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, I immediately asked the First Elder.
"Are you envious?"
"..."
"Because you're looking at a flame you cannot ignite?"
Speak of the Shanxi Gu Family, and many know it as a family that primarily uses fire arts.
That's correct.
In fact, anyone who was a direct bloodline mainly used fire arts.
Not Gu Ryeong-hwa, who now belonged to Huashan, though.
The fastest way to prove oneself as a bloodline of the Gu Family was this flame.
However, the collateral branch couldn't use this.
It was similar to storing heat in the body like the ultimate technique of the Nine Flames Flower Wheel Art, but
In the end, it was just heat.
Just because they shared the same surname, it didn't mean everyone could ignite the flames.
That was why I could understand well the subtle emotion visible in the First Elder's eyes.
Because it resembled the eyes I often saw when looking at others in my past life.
"You brat..."
"Didn't you say there was no evidence?"
I slowly reached out and pointed at the First Elder's quarters.
"There's no need to deliberately bring the evidence, it will all be over there."
"Hah, do you truly think there's something there? How foolish."
"Ah, it won't be in your room. Because you're not someone that lacking."
"Then..."
"How about the basement hidden behind the bookshelf?"
...
At my words, the First Elder gasped.
A fact I could know through my past life.
The First Elder's wealth accumulated through the Gu Seon Gate, and documents proving he had extended his reach here and there.
It was a tremendous amount of evidence he thought he had hidden secretly.
‘Of course, it seemed he somehow knew and had already disposed of the important-looking things.’
That was a story from a few years later.
Then what about now?
Had the First Elder anticipated things and cleaned up even now?
Judging by the First Elder's expression, fortunately, that didn't seem to be the case.
"How... do you know that..."
He seemed considerably panicked.
Well, it was no wonder he was surprised since I casually brought up a space plastered with various formations.
In my past life, it took a full month just to discover and dismantle it.
I didn't know how he secretly set up such a high-level formation, though.
‘In the first place. Did Father really not know?’
If one were to ask if Father truly knew nothing of the First Elder's deviations,
Honestly, it's hard to tell. If he knew and was feigning ignorance,
That didn't seem to be the case either, though.
"Even if you ask that now, do you think I'll give you an answer?"
At my sneer, I heard the sound of the First Elder grinding his teeth.
I looked at the First Elder and gradually amplified the flames.
"Do not take this as the petty anger of a child, First Elder."
My inner qi, slowly spreading along with the flames, gradually gnawed away at the combat path the First Elder had laid out around us.
It meant I was gradually expanding my domain.
"This is the punishment the main family's bloodline inflicts upon you."
With my father, the Patriarch, away, all command authority in the family goes to the Chief Steward.
Not to the First Elder, who was the highest among the Elders.
Nor anyone else among the Elders.
But to the Chief Steward.
This was a law of the Gu Family that remained unchanged even during the hundreds of years they held their ground after the Blood Demon Great War.
And before coming to the Gu Seon Gate, I had already received the rights to this from the Chief Steward.
‘Honestly, I didn't think he'd give it to me.’
I roughly explained the situation and said I was going to flip the First Elder over, which the Chief Steward resolved for me.
From my standpoint, it was just a notification.
It was me saying I was going to do it, so do whatever, punish me or not.
Things worked out easier than expected.
"Punishment? What kind of punishment could a mere brat like you hand down? What did I do so wrong?"
"Worry about that yourself. If you really don't know,"
The insipid Q&A ends here.
"Just think of it as me flipping you because you're a piece of shit. Even I see it that way."
With those final words.
The small sun that had filled the surroundings pounced on the First Elder.
| |.....
...
The biggest difference between First-Class and the Peak Realm.
Was that one's inner qi gradually assimilated with the physical body.
The inner qi that simply hid in the dantian
Begins to change as one surpasses the wall with enlightenment.
The closed middle dantian awakens,
Inner qi invades it, and the physical body begins to become more active.
The body that used to get stronger by circulating inner qi changes,
Things that could only be known by spreading qi senses change so that they can be seen and heard much more,
And one begins to escape the frame they themselves labeled as human.
That is the state of the Peak Realm.
Then.
What is the Hwa Realm?
Many answered this, and the words they brought up were all different, but
In the end, the meaning was the same.
I dared to evaluate it, calling it Transcendence.
Becoming able to do what one couldn't do.
In the past, the demonic person with the Hwangbo surname, Muk-gwon, said about this
That one had stepped onto the path to godhood.
At the time, I smacked him on the head, asking what kind of bullshit that was, but
I could faintly understand why he felt that way.
It meant it was that much different.
And the moment one surpasses this Hwa Realm and reaches another domain.
They have reached the supreme domain.
Was how it was also expressed.
Kuuung!
The flames swept the floor and stretched out in all directions.
The flames, which began to dominate the surroundings as if taking root,
Was a fearsome sight even to myself.
Swoosh!
A Sword Gang flew in, cleaving through the flames.
An unwavering straight line, the resolute sword path flew in aiming precisely where I was.
It wasn't a very threatening attack, so I could easily dodge it, but
Hwuk!
The wind pressure that followed was the real deal.
"You bastard!"
Along with the First Elder's roar, hot heat swirled around the surroundings.
This was the First Elder's heat.
"You truly intend to see blood! Fine! If that is what you wish, as your elder, I shall grant you a lesson."
"Your tongue still hasn't died, seeing how smoothly you spout bullshit."
Tuk.
With a small sound, I leapt low.
My heated body quickly reached the First Elder,
And spewed out the flames fully wreathed around my fist.
Nine Flames Form: Wolf.
The ultimate technique I used at the martial arts tournament.
Kwaak!
The giant flames took the shape of a wolf and swept the surroundings.
The seemingly solid stone floor shattered, leaving marks.
If it were at the level of the rising stars I faced back then, it would have ended with this one strike, but
Seogak-!
The flames were sliced apart so easily by the sword blade containing heat.
Bang! Amidst the scattering remnants of the bursting flames,
I observed the First Elder's movements.
‘Too easily? That's not it.’
The First Elder's sword was as fierce as befitted his realm, but
In the gap of that subtle breath,
I could tell that the First Elder was using more strength than necessary.
‘It seems his broken body is having a hard time.’
That was why a martial artist at the Hwa Realm level was in such a state.
Wasn't he using that much strength just to swing his sword once?
How many martial artists who had reached that level had I seen in this life?
I couldn't count them one by one, but
When I recalled their presence,
Where would the First Elder stand now?
‘At the very least, he's not on par with them.’
That was even more true when compared to the Heaven-Piercing Sword King Namgung Jin, whom I somewhat looked down on.
Even if I personally looked down on him, if Namgung Jin were to face me seriously,
If we fought with the exact strength I possessed without using other means, I probably wouldn't last ten bouts.
That is what the difference in realm means.
Ten bouts was actually also ridiculous.
‘It means I still have that much further to go.’
From that standpoint, what about the First Elder now?
‘It's doable.’
Both reason and intuition were saying so.
Shweeek!
The First Elder's fast sword draws a diagonal line and thrusts toward me.
It was a basic sword art, but unfolded from the hands of a seasoned swordsman, it was endlessly fierce.
It was a familiar-looking sword art.
Nine Dragons Red Seven Swords.
The sword art taught in the Gu Seon Gate.
This was the representative sword art used by the Gu Family.
A sword that has elevated a single sword art to its extreme is thickly imbued with fighting spirit.
A sword containing heat is threatening just by grazing it.
This could be known just by the body, which housed fire arts, feeling the heat.
"You are swifter than you look."
Sustaining his breath, the First Elder gradually approached faster.
Certainly, compared to Mu-yeon or Gu Jeol-yeop who used the same sword art,
The First Elder's movements were the difference between heaven and earth.
Pik-! A flash of light grazes my cheek and passes by.
‘Tsk.’
Was it because of his chronic illness? If it weren't for the occasional halting movements,
It would have been dangerous.
It was the same just now.
No matter how broken his body was, the Hwa Realm was still the Hwa Realm.
"You burned your fighting spirit so much, but what you actually show is futile."
"As soon as you think you have a slight edge, you immediately run your mouth. Old people are cunning indeed."
At my words, the First Elder grinned and readjusted his stance.
Hwuk!
At the same time, a murderous intent fiercely erupted along the First Elder's shoulders.
Murderous intent and fighting spirit mixed, heavily pressing down the air.
‘Phew.’
I swept my hair up as I looked at it. Perhaps because of the intense aura, my body reacted on its own, making my hair damp with cold sweat.
‘It won't be easy, will it?’
[If you already know the answer, do not ask.]
‘How petty. Would it kill you to help a little?’
[You don't even want such a process, yet your mouth is so light, brat.]
At Old Man Sin's words, I calmly focused my gaze.
The inner qi filling the middle dantian still had some leeway.
About half?
Even after using it excessively by spewing flames in all directions to keep up with the speed, this much remained, so it was a part where one could see how much inner qi I had stuffed into this small body.
Meeting my gaze, the First Elder spoke to me.
"This is your last chance."
"What chance?"
"I don't know how you found out about my body, but look, Yang-cheon. No matter how great a talent you possess, your current state is merely a spurt of bravado."
Therefore.
"If you apologize to me right now and end this, I will accept it and let it go easily."
"Oh? If I apologize, you'll just let it go? Without taking anything?"
At my words, the First Elder let out a short, hearty laugh.
Then, changing his expression, he continued.
"That probably won't happen. In order to let it go easily, you'll likely have to fulfill a few of my demands."
In the end, he was saying he would receive an apology instead of letting it go and secure a justification for the better side.
At his words, spitting out his desires without hiding them, bit by bit, I asked back.
"What if you don't let it go?"
"Then, it won't end well."
As a bloodline, he couldn't kill me.
It meant he would steer things in a bad direction no matter what.
"Why, are you going to mess with the people around me again?"
"I don't know what you mean."
It was still him feigning ignorance, but
"Still, such a method isn't impossible, is it?"
"Hah."
A hollow laugh escaped me at the First Elder's clear threat.
The old dog was old and sick, but still sharp.
He didn't hide his desires as much as his bulk had grown with age.
"You're still just a beast, and you've grown so senile you can't see an inch ahead of you."
"...You."
"Can't you understand if I speak nicely? Fuck off."
At my harsh words, the First Elder's body flinched and trembled.
It seemed he didn't expect to hear such words.
Soon, the First Elder, whose face was distorted, pulled up his fighting spirit even more.
In an instant, the energy crushed the entire Gu Seon Gate.
If this was his level even while suffering from a chronic illness, it made one wonder how strong he was in his healthy prime in the past.
But even so, I wasn't afraid.
Rather, I felt a little bitterness.
Or maybe it was anger.
"What did you say?"
Was he asking back because of the unexpected words?
Or was he asking once more to see if the answer he wanted would come out?
I gave a proper answer to this.
"If you're a mutt holed up in the house, know your place accordingly."
...
Uhh...
In an instant, the energy spread across the surroundings scattered like fog.
No, it hadn't scattered.
That immense energy had already gathered entirely at the tip of the First Elder's sword.
"Very well, if you truly come out like that, I shall do as you wish."
At the First Elder's words, I also pulled up the energy in my body.
‘That's a bit dangerous.’
What was already dangerous had turned into something that would kill just by grazing it.
Was that old man thinking of killing me?
If he wasn't thinking of killing me, it seemed he was at least thinking of shattering me.
Seeing that, I pulled up the energy in my body as well.
Soon after, the First Elder slowly moved.
"You brought this upon yourself, so accept it."
The energy was so immense that it gave the illusion of the sword moving slowly.
The sight of space distorting was enough to make an ordinary person bow in terror.
Before the lightly moving tip of his foot,
The First Elder repeated inwardly.
‘Nine Dragons Red Seven Swords, Seventh Form.’
Prepared First Sword.
As the sword swung down,
As if it were a lie, the moon rising in the night sky split in half.
‘I won't die.’
The space split and swept the place where Gu Yang-cheon was.
Kwagagak!
The heavy sound of rupturing air struck and destroyed the surroundings.
Let alone the surrounding buildings, the sound of collapsing and breaking surged endlessly, showing just how massive the energy was.
The ultimate technique of the Gu Seon Gate. The final single strike.
It was an ultimate technique the First Elder had barely mastered in his twilight years.
It was a feeble power incomparable to when he first used it, but
This much was enough.
Just enough not to kill.
The level the First Elder desired was just that much.
‘With this.’
Looking at that guy's level, his lifeline probably didn't snap.
While the energy continued to rage, the First Elder clutched his chest with his hand and gasped for breath.
"Phew... Hah...!"
Because he used more energy than necessary, the recoil hit his body excessively.
At this rate, he would need to recuperate for at least half a month.
"...Still, if it's this much."
It wasn't a bad deal.
He secured the justification to make the Hero's son like that.
He bought time to shut his mouth for a while and dispose of the evidence underground.
With this...
"Honestly."
"What a crazy old man."
At the voice that suddenly rang out, the First Elder struggled to turn his exhausted body.
It was a voice that shouldn't be heard so clearly right now.
Kung!
"Keureureuk!"
At the fist digging into his solar plexus, the First Elder's body bent over with a gasp!
Without even a moment to scream at the absurd agony.
His head snapped backward from the fist that struck his face.
At the same time, teeth burst from his mouth and blood splattered.
There was no time to judge what was going on.
All that could be seen were flames.
However.
‘...Blue...?’
The color of the flames was different.
The color Gu Yang-cheon spewed was somehow crimson.
What was visible now was a Blue Flame, resembling a clear sky.
I couldn't look at it for long.
Udeudeuk!
As his legs shattered in an instant, the First Elder's figure collapsed to the ground.
"Heugeoeok..."
From the mouth of the kneeling First Elder, only the sound of air escaping flowed out.
With all his teeth knocked out, he couldn't even scream properly.
"I told you."
The voice coming from right before his nose.
The First Elder slowly raised his head.
There, Gu Yang-cheon was looking down at the First Elder, completely unharmed.
"If you bark recklessly, I'll pull out all your teeth."
Wrapped in blue flames from head to toe.